Flat sheet stock (such as polymer sheet stock) can traditionally be heated and formed. Further, such material can traditionally be heated and embossed. However, one process tends to negate the other. In other words, if one were to heat and bend stock, reheating the material for embossing would cause the material to return to its original molecular configuration and the bend would be lost. On the other hand, heating and embossing and then reheating for the purpose of bending causes the material to return to its original molecular configuration, such that the embossing is lost.
Accordingly, it is conceivable that one way to achieve both results is to perform both methods essentially at the same time. However, the cost of doing so has long appeared to be prohibitive.
A need has thus been recognized in connection with achieving both of the aforementioned results in a manner that is not cost-prohibitive.